And just 12 minutes later the Finland international completed his hat-trick, twisting past the Newcastle defence before slotting home.

Jonjo Shelvey pulled one back for the visitors in injury time.

Goals were expected as there had been 24 goals in the previous four meetings between the sides.

Norwich started quickly and had a great chance to take the lead inside the opening five minutes when a break down the right by Pukki was cut back to Todd Cantwell but his close-range shot was straight at goalkeeper Dubravka.

The Brazilian found himself with a free header just eight yards out but sent his effort just wide of the target.

A well-struck volley from Pukki in the 32nd minute put Norwich ahead after the ball came in from the corner and was headed out but fell to the forward who hit the ball from the edge of the box.

Dubravka managed to get a hand to 29-year-old’s effort, but could not prevent it reaching the net.

A clever move from the Magpies almost resulted in an equaliser, when a Ritchie free-kick was fed into the area by Shelvey towards Fabian Schar whose headed effort was parried and then gathered by Krul.

The second half got under way with both sides enjoyed attacking passages of play but neither were able to create clear chances.

Just as Newcastle looked to be finding their way back into the game, Pukki doubled his side’s lead when Cantwell slipped the ball to the forward, who took one touch before hitting the ball into the corner.

In the 75th minute, the home side moved to secure all three points, after Pukki slid the ball home from 12 yards, making the most of Newcastle’s defensive mistakes after being fed through by Cantwell for a second time.

Shelvey managed to pull one back for the visitors in added time, making the most of a defensive mistake, to take a touch inside the box before hitting the ball past Krul.

But it was too little, too late for former Norwich defender Steve Bruce’s side as the Carrow Road faithful celebrated a well-deserved win.